Interpretation
The lyrics of the song "Los salieris de Charly" by
Leon Gieco are about a group of people who call themselves "Los Salieris de Charly". They define themselves as peasants of the "raceless" race and reject tourism. They were born in the countryside and enjoy grilled meat and lots of wine. However, they do not consider themselves typical "gordito argentino", overweight Argentinians.
They like the countryside but hate the city because they believe there are no opportunities in the dust. They travel a lot and criticize the country by telling the truth. They feel like outsiders and are proud of never being hated in school and never lying in church.
The group "Los Salieris de Charly" calls themselves that because they steal melodies from Charly García. They are looking for a young president who loves life and confronts death. They want a president who cares about the lives of all creatures, including dogs, cats, trees, and all people.
They read Página, an Argentine magazine, and sing with the singer La Negra. They also enjoy listening to Victor Jara. They believe that young people do not have enough experience to govern, but they think that is good because it avoids the experience of theft and lies.
The group "Los Salieris de Charly" criticizes people who think they are better because they have an expensive car or an expensive house. They are proud to freely express their opinion and to say whether someone is an idiot or not.
They remind that the composer of "La Balsa" was in prison and never came out. They criticize people who do not have the same political ideas and note that communism no longer exists. They think that people who think differently now are all sick or drug addicts.
The lyrics also refer to social injustice in Argentina. The richest 1% of the population has the power and the rest of the country suffers because of it. It is pointed out that people who work hard often get nothing and that Argentina is a country that absorbs everything that happens.
The group "Los Salieris de Charly" feels lonely and often eats canned food. They like the sun in the Tilcara cemetery and are rushed by the Odeón cinema and their friends. They give money to the garbage collectors and sell many records, but they still feel like themselves.
They enjoy listening to Magaldi sing "Chamamé" and often mention Pugliese, Troilo, and Grela, who are their favorite musicians.
Overall, the lyrics of the song are about a group of people who are proud to be different and to express their opinion. They fight for social justice and want their voice to be heard, even if they sometimes feel lonely and misunderstood.